19 June 2020
I have the wonderful privilege of doing Kingdom coaching. I get to speak to so many different people from around the world. Of course, I don’t know them, but I immediately recognize their spirit! They carry the character and the nature of our Abba Father. They all desire Christ to be formed in them.
We speak and pray about their challenges, and from my journey I can easily relate to them. I realize that we are all busy climbing a mountain. As we start ascending, we hope that someone will come and rescue us so that we don’t need to climb all the way up there. The further we go the steeper the mountain gets. But the truth is, God wants us to finish the race, because with His help, what He started in all of us He will finish. We need to grow with Him.
Sometimes we begin our journey with a loud noise alerting everybody of our strength and courage. We are all looking for the same thing on the mountain. It is called “success” – a breakthrough. Unfortunately, others seek a “quick fix” or a “short-cut”.
I have learned that the journey is a process. Each day in every step up the mountain we are changed into His image and likeness. There is no quick way – for in the climbing you gain strength and endurance for the next step ahead.
King Solomon warns us, ”The end of a thing is better than its beginning, the patient in the spirit is better than the proud in the spirit” (Ecclesiastes 7:8).
It is not how strong you start the race that makes you a winner, but how you finish. And being taught in the school of patience takes time.
I look at Saul’s life. He was a strong, outstanding man and saw many victories, tasting successes from early on in his career. But when God send him to fight against the Amalekites, he allowed the “fear of man” to intimidate him. Quickly he lost ground moving from full obedience to God’s commands, to doubt and fear. Samuel was the one who had to give Saul this message from God, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel?”
When he was humble, God could bless him, but as soon as pride moved in, God rejected him. Pride blinds you to the fact that you are relying on your own abilities, being unaware that God’s hand has left you.
This is such a great lesson to all of us. When we are humble in our own eyes, we have room for the greatness of God.
Saul’s pride drove him to his tragic end. He consulted a witch and the next day he committed suicide on the battlefield. He opened doors in his life – attempting to look better, to know more and to be more impressive. These are the very doors that caused his demise.
King David cried out to God, as he was constantly persecuted and hounded by King Saul.
Ps 18:20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands He recomposited me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
David also fell into the snare of PRIDE – becoming focused on his success, and his life changed dramatically.
Ps 51:1-2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
What happened to David? The same as with Saul. Both tasted success and they were filled with PRIDE. When David no longer went out to battle, but stayed safely at home, he was overtaken by the lust of “self”. Life became all about him. No longer was he focused on God and dependent on God. Comfort was his enemy.
In the end David also ate of the fruit of “death”. I look at his life and praise God for giving David a second chance. But his second chance came with a warning from God, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12:10).
Solomon was David’s son, and was beloved and chosen by God. We can all recognize the beautiful character of God in him when he humbly asked for wisdom instead of riches. Well, God in His might gave him riches and honor!
But through it all Solomon did not pass the test of “success”. No, pride gave him a kiss and he died as an idolater, turning his heart after other gods.
What does success then look like as a child of God? We learn from each other’s mistakes and ask Holy Spirit to help us to build a character of true success. This Godly nature is shaped on the mountain, the higher we climb. This is Godly success – more of Him and less of me.
There are not many others on the mountain as you go higher and higher. Your fellowship will come from Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 7:25 Now concerning the virgins (the marriageable maidens) I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion and advice as one who by the Lord's mercy is rendered trustworthy and faithful.
To be faithful I must be totally dependent on the Lord’s mercy. I cannot rely on myself or anything else. I cannot even rely on my degrees, spiritual giftings, church, family or my many achievements. No, it is only me and God. This is a place where you start seeing the “Mercies of God” clearly in your life. It stands out like a pillar – a beacon of hope. You cling to Him – our Hope of Glory – and nothing else.
So quickly our vision can be blurred with our own strength! There is nothing so powerful in the ascend as “dependency on God”.
What is PRIDE then? PRIDE is nothing other than SELF-DEPENDANCY. The battle is between my will and God’s perfect will in my life.
John 4:34 My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Jesus showed us how to be single-minded unto the end. He remained determined to do His Father’s will – even to His last breath. We need to follow in His footsteps – you become what you “gaze” upon.
My dear friend, let’s keep our focus on our Abba Father and do not lean on our own understanding. Our success will be measured by the nature of our Father in us.
Thank You Abba that we may rely on Your mercies. We humble ourselves before You and ask You to lead us step by step as we climb our mountain.
My dear friend, this is called life!
Blessings to you and celebrate life today.
Thank you so very much for all your prayers and love in our lives.
Retah and family